A ir F orce Cad ets
The Nijmegen ‘Four Day Marches’ – a gruelling, though truly exhilarating & rewarding experience FLTLT(AAFC) Gary Martinic 3 Wing Headquarters, Australian Air Force Cadets Known as the International Four Day Marches in Nijmegen (or ‘Vierdaagse’ meaning ‘the Four Days’ in Dutch) have been run every year in mid-July in Nijmegen, Holland, since 1909. It is an event that sees both civilian and military participants walk either 30, 40 or 50km daily depending on their age and gender, and on completion, they receive a royally-approved medal, known as the Vierdaagse Cross (or ‘Cross for Marching Proficiency’). Originally a military event with few civilians, it is now mainly a civilian event. Vierdaagse De 4 Daagse is done over 4 days (18-21 July). In 2017, registered participants numbered 42,036 participants, 5,500 of these were military participants, with 3,627 participants which did not complete the event. This has become such a popular marching event that armed forces and cadet participants from all over the world send contingents to take part in the marches. During 2019, over 50 nations were represented at Camp Heumensoord, or ‘Camp H’ the military basecamp. Military teams can have a minimum of 11 participants, or up to 30 personnel, but they can also march as individuals. In the military category, participants must march 40 km x 4 days (leaving and returning to Camp H, as a team; Fig 1). They must be wearing uniform and pending age and registration requirements, they may need to carry 10kg of dead weight in addition to consumables, in their backpacks. Military teams usually march as a unit and often sing marching songs, making them very popular with civilian 86
